26 MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF ADULT MALES 



by a band of darker sclerotization. The later opieurite (lpl) is always well developed 

 and the anterior margin often bounded by an extension from the anterior part of 

 the marginal ridge (e.g. E. tiliae, L. luzulae, I. theobromae ; Text-figs. 2, 27, 29). The 

 epimeron (epm 2 ) is represented by a small sclerite posterodorsal to the coxal articula- 

 tion. The mesothoracic spiracle (sp 2 ), with its supporting peritreme (ptr 2 ), is 

 situated in the membrane anterior to the subepisternal ridge. Except for Theron 

 (1958), none of the earlier workers on the Coccidae studied the mesopleuron in any 

 detail. Ezzat (1956) referred to the subepisternal ridge as the " pleural bridge " 

 and to the pleural ridge as the " pleural sclerite ". It is difficult to determine with 

 certainty the homologies of the structures described above with those of the basic 

 pleurosternal region, as proposed by Matsuda (i960). The membranous cleft 

 probably represents or incorporates his anapleural cleft. According to his defini- 

 tions, the dorsal part of the episternum then represents the anepisternum (called pre- 

 episternum by Weber, 1928) and the ventral part of the pre-episternum, with the 

 katepisternum either absent or incorporated into the latter. Theron (1958), 

 following Weber (1928), referred only to the area anterior to the ventral part of the 

 subepisternal ridge as a lateropleurite (pre-episternum). Roberti (1946) called the 

 same area a laterosternite, a term used by Weber (1928) to describe a more ventral 

 part of the precoxal region. 



Mesosternum. The mesosternum is almost entirely represented by the large 

 hexagonally shaped basisternum (stn 2 ). At the junction of the basisternum and 

 episternum there is a strong marginal ridge (mr) , which extends medially to delimit 

 the basisternum anteriorly. Posteriorly it unites with the precoxal ridge and further 

 posteriorly the ridge fuses with the pleural ridge immediately above the coxal artic- 

 ulation. The strong precoxal ridge (pcr2) curves round the posterolateral edge of 

 the basisternum, but fades away before reaching the median line. A strong longi- 

 tudinal median ridge (mdr) completely divides the basisternum into two halves ; 

 sometimes, the ridge is more or less reduced (Eriopeltis spp. ; Text-figs. 24, 26) or 

 vestigial (/. theobromae ; Text-fig. 29). The posterior margin of the basisternum 

 is invaginated to form a transverse fur col pit (fp) from which a well developed furca 

 (f) originates. The furca consists of a broad basal stalk and two strong furcal arms. 

 No separate sternellum is found ; Makel (1942), from a study of some Pseudococcidae 

 suggested that it is represented by the base of the furca. The sclerite which Ghauri 

 (1962) regards as the sternellum in the Diaspididae is probably part of the meta- 

 thorax (as discussed later). Ezzat (1956) referred to the basisternum as the " f urea- 

 sternum " and called the transverse part of the marginal ridge a " sternacostal 

 suture "; Borchsenius (1957) called the basisternum a " mesosternal frame ". 



Articulation of the wings. The articulation of the wing is facilitated by a number of 

 minute alary sclerites or pteralia which lie embedded in the basal articular membrane 

 of the wing (Text-figs. 1 ; 18, N). They consist of the tegula, the first, second and 

 third axillary sclerites, and the additional sclerite. Other structures involved in the 

 wing articulation are the anterior notal wing process, the pleural wing process, the 

 epipleurites and the costal complex of wing veins. 



